The Wars of Religion Western Civilization II
The Rise of Nation-States Medieval feudalism based on idea of 1 Emperor, 1 religion (“Holy Roman Empire”) In reality, feudalism highly decentralized New monarchies attempting to est. sovereign, centralized nation-states King have to take power away from nobles Methods of centralization: More effective army Codification & control of laws Ability to collect taxes effectively Strengthening of bureaucracy Control of church
The Catholic – Huguenot Struggle for France Francis II ( ) married to Mary, Queen of Scots (niece of the Duc de Guise) Huguenots led by Louis Bourbon, Prince de Condé, & Admiral de Coligny Massacre at Vassy starts first war ( ) Crown’s cooperation with Spanish suppression of Calvinists in Netherlands sparks second war ( ) Third war ( ) began with Cardinal Lorraine’s plot to capture Condé & Coligny
St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, 1572 Henry of Navarre married Margot de Valois Charles IX ( ) allowed Coligny & other Huguenot leaders to be assassinated Henry of Navarre arrested & forced to convert Pieter Brueghel, “Massacre of the Innocents”
Henry III ( ) & Henry IV Henry of Navarre escaped; Edict of Beaulieu granted power to Huguenots Henry of Navarre became heir presumptive excommunicated by Pope Sixtus V Duc de Guise formed Catholic League Henry III outlawed Huguenots Henry III assassinated Duc de Guise 1589 – king allied with Henry of Navarre vs. League; assassinated in July by a monk
Henry IV and the Catholic League Henry IV’s siege of Paris relieved by Spanish Duke of Parma 1593 – Estates-General accepted Henry IV after he converts to Catholicism 1594 – Edict of Nantes allows toleration of Huguenots Henry IV & Duke of Sully stabilized France after Wars of Religion
Henry IV Enters Paris, Spring 1594, by Rubens
The 30 Years’ War ( ) War began when Protestant nobles rebelled against Emperor Ferdinand II Defenestration of Prague (1618) Protestant League defeated at White Mountain (1620) & lost Palatinate (1622) Danes intervene under Christian IV but routed by Albrecht von Wallenstein ( ) Swedes intervene under Gustavus Adolphus (1630) – defeat Wallenstein at Lützen (1632) French ally with Swedes (1635) - crush Spanish at Rocroi (1643), then defeat Bavarians
The Peace of Westphalia (1648) Peace of Westphalia effectively ended Holy Roman Empire All German states got to choose denomination (Catholic, Lutheran or Calvinist) Brandenburg-Prussia begins to emerge